Wireless Authentication Methods and Apparatus

Abstract

A first processing device, which may be, for example, a wireless authentication token or an RFID tag, transmits information in a wireless network in a manner that emulates standard communications of an access point of the wireless network, although the first processing device is not configured to operate as an actual access point of the wireless network. A second processing device, which may be, for example, a computer or other station of the wireless network, receives the transmitted information and is able to determine therefrom that the information originates from an emulated access point rather than an actual access point. The second processing device responds to this condition by utilizing the transmitted information in a manner distinct from its utilization of similar information received from the actual access point of the wireless network.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION(S) [0001] The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 764,826, filed Feb. 3, 2006 and entitled “The RFID Authenticator,” which is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to authentication, encryption or other protocols involving wireless authentication tokens or other types of wireless processing devices. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The growing need for better user authentication is drawing increased attention to technologies such as one-time passwords. In a one-time password system, a user typically carries a device or “token” that generates and displays a series of passwords over time. The user reads the currently displayed password and enters it into a personal computer, e.g., via a Web browser, as part of an authentication operation. Such a system offers a significant improvement over...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] The techniques of the illustrative embodiments overcome one or more of the problems associated with the conventional techniques described previously. For example, the illustrative embodiments described above can be implemented in the form of an output-only wireless authentication token, thereby providing enhanced security relative to conventional wireless tokens. In addition, such a wireless authentication token leverages existing 802.11 interface circuitry that is present in a wide variety of processing devices. Furthermore, the wireless authentication token requires only lightweight computation and communication resources, and is therefore suitable for low-power operation.

Problems solved by technology

Previously misappropriated one-time passwords are of no help to an attacker in determining the current password, which remains hard to guess.

Such an approach is problematic, however, in that authentication tokens that accept input in their authentication protocols can be vulnerable to active attacks.

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